Episode 150: Structural Racism Exists Within the System Supporting Food Access
About the Podcast
Anjali Prasertong is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. Along with a history of running in food access programming, she now works with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and professional groups as a speaker and consultant on issues related to food and equity. You won’t want to miss her conversation with Clancy as they call out hot topics like racism within our food system, the term “Green Lining”, the judgement surrounding needing food assistance, and more!
About Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong, MPH, RDN is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. She led an innovative city-funded corner store program in New Orleans that increased fresh food access in low-income neighborhoods, and worked with food entrepreneurs in the city looking to operationalize racial equity in their businesses. Now living in Denver, Colorado, she currently writes the reader-supported newsletter Antiracist Dietitian, and works with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and professional groups as a speaker and consultant on issues related to food and equity.
Discussion Takeaways
- Racism exists in the food system.
- One way in which racism exists in the food system is that different foods are available in different neighborhoods. This discrepancy is reflective of a long history of racism and economic disinvestment in black and brown neighborhoods, that can be traced back to the proliferation of redlining in the 1930s. Disinvestment in neighborhoods leads to fewer businesses, including grocery stores. The erosion of neighborhoods can be revealed in the quality of grocery store available, and/or the quality and variety of food available.
- While grocery stores are often seen as a solution to increase food access in neighborhoods, their opening can accelerate gentrification. This phenomenon is called “Green Lining.” When a high-end grocery store enters a neighborhood with a history of disinvestment, wealthier (often white) neighbors move to the neighbor, pushing out long term residents (often BIPOC). Green Lining can also result from community gardens.
- Public opinion and attitudes about who is “deserving” of food assistance can be traced back to the Poor Laws of 1834, in Victorian England. The central idea of these laws was to define who were the deserving poor and undeserving poor. The laws outlined that children, elderly and people with disabilities were deserving of assistance and considered “the deserving poor,” but men of working age and able bodied people were considered “undeserving poor.” In order for the “undeserving poor” to receive government assistance, they were required to work in working houses, known for horrible and dangerous working conditions.
- “Healthism” is the belief that personal health is a personal responsibility and is not connected to larger political systems, racism, sexism or homophobia. Healthism makes health a moral issue, insinuating that if someone is not trying to maximize their health, they have some kind of moral failing.
- Healthism is reflected in legislative efforts to regulate SNAP use.
- There is a stigma surrounding what people use their SNAP benefits to buy. There can be an attitude that if people use their SNAP benefits to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, they are “deserving” of this assistance but if they use their SNAP benefits to buy soda, candy and chips they are “undeserving.”
- Telling poor people what to eat is reflective of Colonialism and White Savior Complex. In Colonialism and White Savior Complex, there is top-down decision making and an outside power making decisions for other people.
- White Saviorism, if deeply rooted, is hard to see, but is characterized by approaching situations without a spirit of humility or openness but with a belief that one already knows the solution and what’s best, without centering the voice of the people one is trying to serve.
- Non-profit leadership is disproportionately led by white people who do not have the lived experience of the people they are serving. Furthermore, there is a noted disparity in philanthropy – BIPOC and black led non-profit receive less funding than white led non-profits.
- Meal Security, not just food security, is a pressing issue. Meal Security is the gap between having groceries and being able to make a nourishing meal. Meal Security is considering what are the resources needed to make a nourishing meal-such as working kitchen equipment, time and knowledge on how to create a healthy meal.
- Turning food into meals is a burden that disproportionately falls on women and mothers, and is a high burden for people with disabilities and mothers living in poverty.
- To make change happen:
- Do the extra work to center and empower the communities you are serving. Do not listen just to the loudest voices but make an effort to listen to more voices and create spaces for people to voice their opinions.
- Consider who is on your leadership team and who you are partnering with. How diverse is your leadership team? Are you partnering with BIPOC led organizations? Are you creating pathways to power for the people you serve, beyond just roles on a community advisory board?
- Act on feedback.
- Don’t be afraid to give up control.
- There is research exploring how low income, especially BIPOC individuals, shop for food and why they make the choices they do. The number one determination is price. People KNOW the healthy foods they should be eating but cannot afford to fill their grocery baskets with whole unprocessed foods. Additionally, time is a barrier--not everyone has the time to cook everything from scratch.
- Food dignity is about community care and trust. Caring is about caring for others as much as you care about you. And trust is trusting people in their choices. Food Dignity is about relationships and creating a stronger web of relationships that are not transactional but are about a larger community of care.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
Food Dignity is about community care and trust. Caring is about caring for others as much as you care about you. And trust is trusting people in their choices. Food Dignity is about relationships and creating a stronger web of relationships that are not transactional but are about a larger community of care.
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